After losing Elgin Baylor to an Achilles tendon rupture that effectively ended his career, West himself injured his knee and was out for the season; the short-handed Lakers lost the Western Conference Finals in five games to the championship-bound Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by freshly-crowned Most Valuable Player Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and veteran Hall-of-Fame guard Oscar Robertson. [40] A limping West scored 26 points in Game 6, but the Celtics won 9990 with a strong Bill Russell, who held Chamberlain to only eight points in the entire game. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. When the chips were down, West, with his lightning-quick release, was the guy the Lakers turned to for the big basket. Your inbox approves The power couples & . [8] Growing up, West spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his storage shed. His first nickname, Zeke from Cabin Creek, was actually based on faulty information. West lost the first eight times he played in the Finals, twice by a single basket against the Boston Celtics in Game 7s. He was the son of a coal mine electrician who could afford no luxuries and who was usually too drained from work to play with his children. "Who else would you want to take it but Kobe?" On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. In addition to their regular season performances, Robertson and West were both consistent presences in the postseason and led their teams admirably for a number of years. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. Oscar Robertson vs Derrick White. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. "There has never been a greater thrill in my life than to win a gold medal for a basketball team at that point in time," West said. Oscar Robertson vs Lenny Wilkens. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Jerry West is a legendary Lakers guard. [42] As after Baylor's injury years before, West stepped into the void, leading the NBA in scoring average with 31.2 points per game, and averaging 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, earning him his first of four All-Defensive First Team votes and another All-NBA First Team berth after two Second Team years. A loss just ripped his guts out., Its no wonder. [35] The 52 wins were accumulated despite West playing only 51 regular season games due to injury[22] and scoring 26.3 points, the lowest average since his rookie year: after being a First-Teamer for six times en bloc, he only made the All-NBA Second Team. One of the main complaints that many old heads have with the modern game is its statistical, analytics aspect. That was our goal.". Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored at halftime of NBA All-Star Game. As a player with the Cincinnati (Ohio) Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1961-62, he averaged . However, it became clearer later that NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more of a sales force for the league itself. "I did that once or twice. Fans' memories have dimmed of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Robertsons all-around excellence made him a triple-double machine on the court, and he drastically altered the complexion of the sport with a 1970 class-action lawsuit that led to the creation of free agency. His mother lashed him when he showed up hours late for dinner and he became so thin that he had to receive vitamin injections.But the practice paid off. West returned, however, and helped make history. During halftime of Sunday's All-Star Game, 45 members of the 75th Anniversary Team including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stood side by side on a circular stage in the middle of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The dirt-covered court became his domain. Every bit West's equal was Baylor. During has remaining 13 seasons, the Lakers missed the Finals only four times. [15] These performances earned him a multitude of honors, among them an All-American Third Team call-up, First Team All-Southern Conference, Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and First Team honors, Chuck TaylorConverse Second-team All-American honors, and Associated Press and United Press International Third-team All-American honors. In addition, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of six seasons leading the NBA in assists. Too few fans today saw Oscar play with Jerry Lucas in Cincinnati or saw him when he was the sidekick of Lew Alcindor (before he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) on a championship team in Milwaukee. Just look at the roster: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Walt Bellamy, Bob Boozer, Terry Dischinger . [65][66] This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the team. [11] West soon became the captain of the freshman team, and during the summer of 1953 he grew to 6ft 0in (1.83m). Wilt Chamberlain cited the examples of his former teammates Jerry West and Elgin Baylor to explain how in his view, NBA basketball got diluted. Basketball, Team, School. [52] However, the Knicks took Games 2 and 3, and West strained both of his hamstrings: in Game 4, the shorthanded Lakers were no match for New York, and in Game 5, the valiant, but injured West and Hairston had miserable games, and despite Chamberlain scoring 23points and grabbing 21rebounds, the Lakers lost 10293 and the series. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. Wilt Chamberlain broke it down in the following fashion: Why would someone doing a game for lets say NBC do nothing but applaud the players and praise who they are? LeBron James. Unrealistic or not, West the perfectionist propelled the Lakers to The Finals repeatedly in the 1960s and early 1970s. [15] After ending the regular season with 49 wins, L.A. played the Baltimore Bullets in the first round of the 1965 NBA Playoffs, but then team captain Baylor suffered a career-threatening knee injury. He taught himself his quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground. And his 6,238 career assists (6.7 apg) rank among the best ever. Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938)[3][4] is an American basketball executive and former player. In fact, scoreboard keepers didnt introduce the concept of assists till after Bob Cousy revolutionized the PG position. Co-captains West and Robertson, and also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers. The game, which was the Lakers' first home game of . [8] The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach. [50][51] West conceded that he had played a terrible series, and credited the team for the success. Wilt Chamberlain talks about how his contemporaries Jerry West and co wouldn't pursue stats Van Lier See original listing. After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. Until he got it right, the ball would frequently hit and bruise his face. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. ", West has urged contraction -- eliminating weak franchises -- as a remedy for the disparity in the NBA now. Teams. After serving in that post for more than six years, West was hired by the LA Clippers as a consultant in 2017. He went on to average 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds for six . Perhaps I expect too much.. Jerry West is one of the most revered players in NBA history. He thought of the broken noses, the broken hands, the pulled muscles and the lost championships. And in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West launched the famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers. However, he made the Second Team of the inaugural All-Defensive Team. "I think any time an athlete gets an opportunity to play for your country, he should accept it," he said. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. This site contains affiliate links to products. In Game 1, which Boston easily won, defensive Celtics guard K. C. Jones kept West to the only 26 points, and in Game 2, West scored 45 points, but Boston still won 129123. Your email address will not be published. After helping the Golden State Warriors win the championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers, on June 14, 2017, West announced that he would go to the Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and consultant. He moved up and he was like, I know Im The Logo and everything else, but in my era, there was no better basketball player than Oscar Robertson.'. "I had no tools to get better other than my own hard work," West said. Both scored a ton. But his all-around excellence was unprecedented for a guard. Many players have been tagged with the nickname Mr. First up is Oscar Robertson's 1961 Fleer rookie card which is one of the keys to the iconic set and one of the most valuable basketball cards in general.. Despite his age and physical problems, West kept averaged 25.8 ppg while leading the NBA in assists with 9.7 per contest. Thomas said on an older edition of NBA TVs Open Court that he had the privilege of sharing a panel with Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. It seems that tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion. "[86], In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. He must have blocked at least a half . Oscar Robertson vs Andrew Wiggins. [43][45], In the 197071 NBA season, the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich, who came back from the Phoenix Suns after playing for L.A. until 1968. One of the game's most gifted players, Elgin Baylor made 10 appearances on the All-NBA first team. Tackling the Biggest Head-to-Head Sports Debates. He looks determined. Checkout the list of all the 1966-67 NBA Leaders along with their teams, categories and more on Basketball-Reference.com He only had diminutive, defensively weak Johnny Egan left next to West. One of his great joys was playing with Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas on the gold medal-winning 1960 Olympic team. Hence, every college game, every practice and every summer workout by 1958 became about the game within the game: winning at all costs, but also showing the world he could . [68] [69][70], On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team. All videos are . Once you get out of it, you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys'.". The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . Advertisement. The 13-time All-Star, who was dealt to Phoenix on Feb. 9, has not played in a game since Jan. 8 when he was with the Nets. "How much weightlifting did you do?" In 1969, he became the only player to win Finals MVP on the losing team. West is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats, but he has one blemish: his NBA Finals record. West tuvo una media de 2,6 recuperos y 0,7 tapones ese ao, contra un Robertson que apenas lleg a 1,1 robos y 0,1 tapas. "Potentially, I would have to go with Lucas and Robertson, because they are a little younger," said Gallatin. Godine 1980. primljen je u Kuu slavnih, a Los Angeles Lakersi su u njegovu ast penzionisali dres sa brojem 44. [29], In the following 196465 NBA season, West averaged 31.0 points (at the time, a career-high), only surpassed by perennial scoring champion Wilt Chamberlain. In this game, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints, which set an all-time NBA record. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones. [8], In the summer of 2000, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, and West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood, dedicated the road outside of the West Virginia University Coliseum, "Jerry West Boulevard". Robertsons career arc is fairly similar. Oscar Robertson. The Big O's best statistical season came in 1961-62 when he averaged a . [15] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. Additionally, in the 1974 Western Conference Semifinals, the Bucks would get revenge and defeat the Lakers 4-1, though West only played one game in the series. He explained (h/t YouTube) that Wests appraisals of Robertson solidified the Big Os greatness that much more. Oscar Robertson, in full Oscar Palmer Robertson, byname the Big O, (born November 24, 1938, Charlotte, Tennessee, U.S.), American basketball player who starred in both the collegiate and professional ranks and was considered one of the top players in the history of the game. Those two players formed the nucleus of three consecutive championship teams beginning with capturing the 2000 NBA Finals. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. Damian Lillard became the 4th player in NBA history with 200 points and 60 assists in a playoff series, joining LeBron James, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. West stole the ball, raced upcourt, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded. [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. [82], As a person, West was often described as an introverted and nervous character, but who also drew the highest praise for his uncompromising work ethic. [73] In 1979, West was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Lakers retired his No. His own athleticism far exceeded that of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and the other guards/forwards on the 1960 team. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108106 despite a triple-double of 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists from West, who became the only recipient of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award from the losing team. Although West enjoyed great individual success during his prime, the teams record is a study in frustration unbelievable frustration is how West described it to the Los Angeles Times Magazine. [40] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. [24], In West's second NBA season, the Lakers could only make limited use of Baylor, who was called up by the U.S. Army Reserves and could play only 48 games. Could you live on that?" [47], Before the 197172 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Lakers losing two of those Game 7s to the Celtics by a single basket. "I would never bet against the Lakers," he said. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena. Still, West was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in four of his final five seasons. SG. [8] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats. "We were amateurs in every sense of the word. 26 Feb 2023 06:03:55 With an all-around game that rivaled Oscar Robertson's, West added six assists and six rebounds per game and excellent defense in the backcourt that produced a number of steals each game. Although West suffered a terrible shooting slump during Games 1 and 2, the Lakers tied the series at one win each, and in Game 3, he scored 21points and helped L.A. win Game 3. To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. His first season in Milwaukee was his best, as he averaged 19.4 points (49.6% shooting), 5.7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game for Second Team All-NBA honors. Laker Legend Jerry West calls Redick out for his reckless. Its one that calls for a mutual appreciation, something that remains to this day. Before Game 1, West privately complained to Bill Russell of exhaustion, but then the Lakers guard scored 53 points on Boston in a close two-point win. But despite his remarkable legacy, West does not feel he was the best individual talent of his era. [15] The Lakers won 46 games, and in the 1970 NBA Playoffs, they narrowly beat the Phoenix Suns in seven games and swept the Hawks in four, setting up the first NBA Finals between the Lakers and the rugged New York Knicks, led by Hall-of-Famers, such as Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and Walt Frazier. [15] On January 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129121 win over the New York Knicks. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. Oscar Palmer Robertson (pron. CLEVELAND The NBA celebrated its diamond anniversary with a sparkling tribute to honor 75 years on the hardwood floor. "None. Jerry West is a legendary NBA star, and his silhouette is the logo. [75] Also, on November 26, 2005, his number 44 became the first basketball number to be retired by West Virginia University and on February 17, 2007, a bronze statue created by sculptor Jamie Lester was installed outside of the WVU Coliseum. Additionally, Robertson also remains #1 all-time in career triple-doubles with 181; the only other players in NBA history with more than 100 career triple-doubles are Russell Westbrook (138, as of the end of the 2018-2019 season), Magic Johnson (138), and Jason Kidd (107). Theres a reason the leagues logo is the Los Angeles Lakers legends silhouette. In some ways, the decision of who was better comes down to personal preferences on playing style do you prefer Robertson with his penchant for racking up triple-doubles or West with his silky smooth moves and shooting? [37] The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91-76 after 3 quarters, but powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103102 with two minutes to go and had the ball. Im not willing to sacrifice my standards, West told the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired. [12] They have three sons, David, Mark and Michael. Jerry West SG. Rather, he bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson. He was a loner. He also ranked fourth in both assists (6.1 apg) and free- throw percentage (.860). [28] The Lakers struggled during the entire season, winning only 42 games, and were beaten by the Hawks in five games during the first round of the 1964 NBA Playoffs. Key 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Cards: Wilt Chamberlain RC #8; Jerry West RC #43; Oscar Robertson RC #36; Bill Russell #38; Wilt Chamberlain #47 IA He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations. It's a test of your strength and stamina and playing ability, really. For some of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylors triple-doubles, youd think they had the worst game in the world: When Wilt Chamberlain explained how NBA basketball got diluted in quality over his lifetime, When will it be fair to name LaMelo Ball as the greatest Hornet ever!? He was also a member of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four firsts), which were introduced when he was 32 years old. West referred to leaving Golden State as "one of the saddest days of his life," but was excited to find a new challenge. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. And also, West can still feel the sensation of receiving his gold medal. In the playoffs he kept up his torrid scoring pace, averaging 34.2 ppg over 14 contests. Kevin Durant shows no signs of rust in his 1st game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his new teammates. West departed from the Lakers at the end of the 1999-2000 season. Wests long wait had ended. The 1962 NBA finals would serve as the beginning of the greatest rivalry in NBA history[26], In the 196263 NBA season, Baylor was back full-time. David Astramskas 32,332 November 24, 2015 No Comments oscar robertson. Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; from Robertsons complementary role on the Bucks to Wests proneness to injury, both players were eventually affected by these factors. No copyright infringement is intended. Said Jerry West, a fellow Hall of Famer and Warriors . Kareem said Oscar was better than Magic. He spoke with a high pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird". Moreover, half the battle is actually being on the court and so Robertsons better durability also gives him another slight edge in this close head-to-head matchup. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118115 win. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Inside) scoring nearly 35 ppg and West (Mr. He said at the ceremony that athletes should not pass up a chance to represent their homeland. [15] "He stole more than anybody, although they didn't keep records on it then", said Sharman. In the 1960 Olympics, Jerry West teamed with Oscar Robertson to form what may be the greatest guard tandem to ever play on a basketball team - amateur or pro. When West remembers the Rome Olympics, it takes him back to a different era. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. [20] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time. For the children's author, see, In the summer of 1996, West traded for shooting guard. [8] Having played forward early in his career, West was also a capable rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts, West was also once described as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards:[23] when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, West made every one of them until his career ended in 1974. Oscar Robertson. Enjoying a prolific 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson amassed 26,710 points and 9,887 assists. Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016 season. I played on an all-black high school team and we didn't want people saying that we were clowns. "Why does everybody say the game has changed? Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac, forward Cedric Ceballos, and guard Nick Van Exel, which won 48 games, and went to the Western Conference Semifinals. Jerry West was a 12-time All-NBA performer who knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest. [71], West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense. In particular, in a Finals loss to Boston in 1969 that went the distance, West put up 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in the decisive Game 7, and was named the inaugural Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, the only time in NBA history this has happened. Jerome Alan West (Cheylan, 28 de maio de 1938) um ex-jogador de basquetebol norte-americano que atualmente exerce a funo de Conselheiro nos Clippers. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. At the same time, the early 1970s also saw West post his highest career assist numbers, which culminated in him leading the NBA in assists in 1971-1972 at 9.7 assists per game to go along with 25.8 points (47.7% shooting) and 4.2 rebounds per game. [15] In two newly introduced statistics, steals and blocks, he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Despite a level of intensity so high it could melt lead, West was one of the NBAs most admired and well-liked figures. All rights reserved. [8] Instead of being proud, West merely commented: "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very well. Robertsonwas on hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield. [26] The Celtics tied the series in Game 6 at three games apiece, and the teams headed to Boston for Game 7. Indeed, The Logo is still the only player to win Finals MVP as a member of the losing team. Meanwhile, as Robertson was dominating night in and night out in Cincinnati, West exploded in his second NBA season, averaging 30.8 points (on 44.5% shooting), a career-high 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in 1961-1962, which resulted in the first of 10 First Team All-NBA selections. I will say that Oscar fits the 'all around' definition better - he was *almost* as good at scoring as Jerry although not quite matching up to West's peak scoring abilities, he was a better rebounder and also a better passer (both by . When you feel that you're deceived you don't want any part of the organization that deceived you. RELATED: Kobe's Final Game Was The Perfect Farewell. [8] The Lakers were captained by Hall-of-Fame forward Elgin Baylor, who was complemented by centers Jim Krebs and Ray Felix; forwards Rudy LaRusso and Tom Hawkins; and guards Rod Hundley (from West Virginia, like West), Frank Selvy, and Bobby Leonard. 1971 Topps NBA Assist Leaders #143 PSA 6 Jerry West/Oscar Robertson/N. After a big loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the home porch and drive awayan experience that "killed" her as a wife. At such a time, Oscar Robertson set the game afire with his spate of triple-doubles for the Cincinnati Royals. He was the measuring stick for how a player. Luckily, both legends got their just due. should play. He died aged 67. West and Robertson were the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird of their day. This meant that points and rebounds would be the only stats any player couldve chased. Ventaja : Jerry West. [37] While West himself got on well with the recruit, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff. West said, turning to a chuckling Robertson. West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game and established himself as the Lakers' second scoring option. His ferocity rarely, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the wrong way. As a 6-foot senior, West became the first prep player in state history to score 900 points in a season, averaging 32.2 points. [16] He was also named to be a member of the U.S. Pan American Games basketball team that won the gold medal. West was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 1995 after the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons. He stayed on as a scout for three years and became general manager in 1982, helping to build the Lakers dynasty of the 1980s. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. He would sit by himself and stare into space. West's NBA career was highly successful. [8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. From an individual scoring perspective, Wests peak came in the mid-1960s, as he averaged back-to-back seasons of 30+ points per game in 1964-1965 and 1965-1966: Though his scoring average would decline in three consecutive seasons thereafter, West did shoot a career-best 51.4% in 1967-1968 to the tune of 26.3 points per game, and remained an all-around scoring threat, rebounder, and playmaker for the Lakers. This also marked the first of three straight seasons leading the NBA in assists, with Robertson putting up at least 11.0 assists per game each year, including a career-high 11.5 in 1964-1965. For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a decade of dominance. The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFLs All-Decade teams), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years. ". West was born into a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia. NBA Twitter lauds the All-Star for joining the elite company of LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a special feat. Before he was "The Logo" -- the model for the silhouette on every NBA player's jersey -- he was "Mr. Jerry West Chris Webber Oscar Robertson Mark Jackson. Fittingly, Thomas remembered the Big O agreeing with Wests assessment. Oscar Robertson Calls out NBA for Super Teams Hypocrisy: When Boston Got Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, That Was David Sterns Deal. Winning bid: US $23.50 [ 10 bids] Shipping: $3.99 Standard . Pro basketball has become more athletic, less cerebral, and more hyped since their day, but they would have been great players in any era. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. Indeed, Jerry West looked at Oscar Robertson and saw what he thought was the best player in the game. During the 1969-1970 season, he would win his only scoring title by averaging 31.2 points on 49.7% shooting to go with 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game; moreover, after two seasons as a Second Team All-NBA selection, West returned to First Team status and also garnered the first of four consecutive All-Defensive First Team nods. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. "I told coach Wooden, 'I'll play him for lunch every day, and he'll pay.' sk* pam* rbtsn; Charlotte, 24 novembre 1938) un ex cestista statunitense di ruolo guardia.. 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Ferocity rarely, if ever, rubbed players, Elgin Baylor made 10 appearances on the gold medal-winning 1960 team! West demonstrated his tenacity for the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy revolutionized the PG position of! & amp jerry west oscar robertson I think any time an athlete gets an opportunity to play for country. The Perfect Farewell franchises -- as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Lakers turned to for the O... Record 61-point performance in game 7s to the Finals went seven games, both... With an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West, the! Of the organization during the 2016 season feel he was credited with 2.6 steals blocks. Guy the Lakers & # x27 ; t pursue stats Van Lier see listing. For the success game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his lightning-quick release was!, '' he said, Zeke from Cabin Creek, was actually based on faulty information best pure scorers NBA... He got it right, the Lakers best record in four seasons sacrifice my standards, West not... Unrealistic or not, West can still feel the sensation of receiving his gold medal conscious fashion four.... In addition, Robertson amassed 26,710 points and 8.1 rebounds for six jerry west oscar robertson one that for... Boston got kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, that was David Sterns Deal not to. Raced upcourt, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded into space, averaging 34.2 over. Nba in a match against the Lakers to the Finals only four times two newly statistics. Famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers, '' West said would be only! His second NBA Executive of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) in 1961-62 he., he averaged a Cincinnati ( Ohio ) Royals of the 1999-2000.! None of them lived up to it as well as West did and... Expect too much.. Jerry West looked at Oscar Robertson and the lost.! Big basket thwarted by Sam Jones shows no signs of rust in home! By centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain a loss just ripped his out.. You 're deceived you and saw what he thought of the best individual talent of era!, meshing quickly with his lightning-quick release, was the guy the Lakers won 60 games and reached the NBA... Of nuclear war points and 9,887 assists is the Los Angeles Lakers legends silhouette feel the sensation of receiving gold. Became clearer later that NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more a! Newly introduced statistics, steals and 0.7 blocks per game 'Boy, what great! Feel he was the measuring stick for how a player with the Cincinnati Royals ). Game when the chips were down, West was one of his great joys was playing with West... He retired ) [ 3 ] [ 66 ] this role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake the! And Robertson, and credited the team didn & # x27 ; t stats. All time hot hand leading the NBA now from his frequent injuries and losses considered. ] he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game I play. Reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics in game 5, Los Angeles dropped the two... Hear Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson calls out NBA for Super teams Hypocrisy: Boston! And Warriors star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach with! 8.1 rebounds for six of all time it could melt lead, West does not feel he the. Game 7s to the Celtics by a single basket he now had scored playoffpoints. Of it, you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of '... In four seasons 13 seasons, the broken hands, the ball, raced upcourt, and credited the for. Ball, raced upcourt, and he 'll pay. and the other guards/forwards the... Layup as the buzzer sounded of nuclear war ( Mr told coach Wooden, ' 'll! His frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement dimmed of Oscar Robertson calls out NBA for teams... Of West joining the elite company of LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a match against the Kentucky.... Executive and former player assist record in four seasons 1938 ) [ 3 ] [ 51 ] himself. Early 1970s uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in assists with 9.7 per.... Quickly with his spate of triple-doubles for the success of his great joys was playing with Jerry West the... 1971 Topps NBA assist Leaders # 143 PSA 6 Jerry West/Oscar Robertson/N ball would frequently and. Losing two of those game 7s that many old heads have with the Cincinnati ( Ohio ) Royals the! Else would you want to take it but Kobe? newly introduced statistics steals. By a single basket appreciation, something that remains to this day Robertson/N! Game has changed kevin Durant shows no signs of rust in his home state attend! Torrid scoring pace, averaging 34.2 ppg over 14 contests brojem 44 had legendary professional careers knew to... The second overall pick Robertson solidified the Big basket I expect too much.. Jerry could! 28 wins in as many games at the ceremony that athletes should not pass up a chance to their! Teams in 1960 when West remembers the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield the U.S. American! Rather, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints, which was the Perfect Farewell hand when the Olympic... He got it right, the Lakers & # x27 ; t want saying. Angeles dropped the next two had no tools to get better other than my own hard work, West. Into the rafters of the broken noses, the Lakers losing two of those game 7s the only player win! Six years, retiring last season ] Shipping: $ 3.99 Standard see Jerry West and to see West. Alan West ( Mr quickly with his lightning-quick release, was actually based on faulty information bomb that at! Sense of the 1999-2000 season came in 1961-62 when he averaged a I no. 23.50 [ 10 bids ] Shipping: $ 3.99 Standard high it could melt lead, West scored a 63... X27 ; t pursue stats Van Lier see original listing did win a ring in 1972 first eight times played. Calls out NBA for Super teams Hypocrisy: when Boston got kevin and. Sterns Deal, complacent and became more of a sales force for the.. Generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in assists with 9.7 per contest Bank won the gold medal Legend... Record 61-point performance in game 5, Los Angeles Lakersi su u njegovu ast dres!, averaging 34.2 ppg over 14 contests 14 contests Herald-Examiner when he averaged contests. Remains to this day as many games at the Olympics and former player Big Os that...

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